Abstract

OCAMPO-G., Dayra Vanessa; MUNOZ-NATES, Charles S.; FERIZ-GARCIA, Daniel Andrés  and  PISSO-FLOREZ, Gustavo Adolfo. Aquatic Birds in High-Andean Lagoons of Southern Puracé National Natural Park, Colombia. Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2025, vol.29, n.1, pp.91-107.  Epub Oct 22, 2025. ISSN 0123-3068.  https://doi.org/10.17151/bccm.2025.29.1.5.

Aquatic birds play a pivotal role in ecosystems but face threats from habitat loss and climate change. In Colombia, 280 species of aquatic bird species have been documented, with 61% classified as migratory. Despite this, data on these species within Puracé National Natural Park (PNN Puracé) is scarce. This study characterized the aquatic bird communities of La Magdalena and Cusiyaco lagoons in PNN Puracé and assessed spatial variation in species composition. The study was carried out during five field trips between 2021 and 2022, totaling 226 hours of observational sampling around the lagoons. Eleven species were recorded in La Magdalena Lagoon and seven in Cusiyaco Lagoon, which represent 4% and 3%, respectively, of the total aquatic bird species reported for Colombia. Notably, threatened species such as Podiceps occipitalis, Oxyura jamaicensis, and Anas georgica were observed, alongside boreal migratory species such as Calidris minutilla, Tringa melanoleuca, and Tringa flavipes. Behavioral patterns (feeding, nesting, and vocalization) and habitat use differed between lagoons. These findings provide a baseline for future research on the ecology and conservation research, highlighting the importance of these ecosystems as key biodiversity refuges, especially for aquatic birds restricted to high Andean ecosystems.

Keywords : protected areas; threatened birds; diversity; wetlands; Colombian Massif.

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